


Anthem For The Already Defeated

by MiniNephthys



Category: Shin Megami Tensei II, Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-21
Updated: 2012-08-21
Packaged: 2017-11-12 14:58:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/492442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"The best opportunity to defeat Him here has already passed.  There will be no further chances."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Anthem For The Already Defeated

As another of Aleph's demons falls at the sound of YHVH's voice and is revived by Hiroko's healing, Aleph reaches for a Soma and finds that he's out. He turns to Hiroko and shakes his head.

Hiroko clenches her fist, the one that isn't barely managing to hold up her gun. "I can't keep this up much longer."

Aleph turns to Lucifer. "How much longer do we need to hold out?"

Lucifer is quiet.

A feeling of dread sinks over Aleph, that he was heard perfectly well. "...Lucifer?"

"Longer than is possible for us. We will not succeed." For the first time, despair is visible on Lucifer's face. "We have already lost this battle."

Aleph breathes in. By the time he breathes out, another of his demons is dead. "What will happen after our defeat?"

"Humans in this world will be wiped out, save for those who are mindless slaves of God," Lucifer says. "The best opportunity to defeat Him here has already passed. There will be no further chances."

"What will happen to you?" Aleph asks. He fires his gun again, knowing that it won't be enough but needing the reassurance that he is doing something.

Lucifer smiles, more sadly than any frown. "I will come back, eventually. As long as humans call for freedom, I will return someday. Just as He will when they call for order. But it will be a long time."

Another of Aleph's demons falls. There isn't much time left: Hiroko can't heal them now.

"You can still manage to teleport out of here, can't you?" Aleph asks.

"Technically yes, but only myself. I've expended too much energy to do more than that."

"That will be enough. Go. He's too occupied with us." When Lucifer hesitates, surprised, Aleph glares at him. "You can do more than I can for the next world, if this one is doomed. We aren't defeated yet."

"Aleph." Lucifer hesitates still. Another demon falls. Hiroko's gun is blazing, but otherwise she is silent.

"I'm going to have to watch one of my only friends die," Aleph says, turning his head away from Lucifer and towards the fight. "I don't want to watch two."

"...I see." The next part is barely audible: "I feel the same way." Lucifer brushes Aleph's shoulder with a wing, and then is gone.

Aleph sighs in relief. "He could have said goodbye."

Those are his last words in this life.

* * *

"Jyoji Hijiri."

Hijiri looks around for the source of the voice, and finds an old woman holding the hand of a young blond boy. "Can I help you?"

"No," the woman answers. "The time for that has long since passed. My master merely has a question for you."

Probably the kid. Hijiri shifts uneasily. "Shoot."

"You are doomed. You must realize that in a world like this, you are unable to survive for long. The end of the world has already occurred. Knowing this, will you give up?" the woman in black asks.

An easy question. "No. Even if I can only do one tiny thing, that's better than just giving up."

The boy smiles and whispers to the woman, who nods. "Even after all of this, you haven't changed... That's reassuring."

"Hey, do I know you two from somewhere-?"

Hijiri blinks, and they are gone.


End file.
